Container for aseptic material



g- 2 9- J. N. NASA 2,479 5 H CQNTAINER FOR ASEPTIC MATERIAL Filed Oct. 14, 1944 FIG. 1 FIG? [-76.3

.Z W Gttorncg Patented Aug. 23, 1949 Joseph N. Masai,

Jersey New Brunswick, N. J., assignor to Johnson & Johnson,

a corporation of New Application October 14, 1944, Serial No. 558,687 Claims. (Cl. 20.6*-63.2)

This invention relates to novel articles of manu: facture. More particularly the invention is directed to a novel container for wax employed in the surgical field and a novel package combination.

The packaging of aseptic wax for'bone surgery involves special care due to the nature of the material and the'unique operating technic. Heretofore, it has been proposed to pack said wax in collapsible metal tubes. While this wax is sulficiently fluid at the sterilization temperature, it is of such consistency at normal temperature that it cannot be readily squeezed out of such a tube.

According to this invention I have provided a novel container or holder for the wax so that the wax at normal temperature may be readily separated from the container for use. In addition I have provided a novel package to maintain hermetically sealed therein wax in acontainer whose travel limits are extremely narrow within a hermetically sealed element. This invention provides a package which will retain the wax in a predetermined position in a container when it has become molten during sterilization and thereafter will maintain the wax sterile over an indefinite period of time while at the same time providing instantly available wax in'an aseptic condition. y

The foregoing as well as other objects and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent from the following description and appended drawings wherein.

Figure 1 represents a view in side elevation of a novel packaging unit embodying my invention.

Figure 2 represents a vertical cross-sectional view of the novel packaging unit shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a View in perspective of a novel wax container.

Figure 4 is a view showing :how the novel container may be stripped ofi of the bone wax in an easy manner while maintaining the wax in aseptic condition.

According to this invention, there may be provided a container l0 having therein a quantity of wax, such-as bone wax, employed in a bone surgery. The container It may be of any desired shape, but is preferably of cylindrical design and has a bottom ll integral with a hollow elongated cylinder l2. The container Il) may becomposed =o'f any desirable material and is preferably tin,

aluminum or some other elements or alloy. The composition of the container is such that it is impervious to the molten wax at the sterilization temperature employed, it will resist the temperature of sterilization and has the desired tear characteristic at'normal temperatures. The upper or free end of the cylinder I2 may terminate in a small tab or may have a cut out or recess l3 therein for ready grasping. The cylindrical portion [2 of the container has a helical indentation or scoring l4 along the length thereof. This spiral indenta- 'tion I4 is of suinci'en-t depth to provide an easy tear path.

This novel container l0 may be filled with molten wax l5 and allowed to cool. The upper level of the wax I5 is considerably below the limit of the upper free end of the container Ill. The so loaded container in isinserted into a glass tube l8 whose configuration is similar to the ordinary chemical laboratory test tube. The diameter of tube It is just slightly greater than the outside diameter of container It so that container It may slide easily therein.

The length of the'tube I6 is considerably greater than the length of container I0 and is at least 50% to greater than the length of container ID. A plug l1 composed of cotton or other fibrous material is inserted through the open end of tube l6. This plug l1 rests on or is close to the upper or open end of container ill. The plug 11 preferably forms a rather tight fit in the tube l6 and acts to lock the container in position in said tube l6 and thus prevent the wax loaded container H! from sliding from end to end of tube l6 and thus eliminates the possibilty of tube fracture due to such sliding movement. In order to assure further the position of the plug H, the tube l6 may have a plug locking boss l8 extending inwardly above the upper end of the plug. As shown, one embodiment of said boss I8 may be a collar formed by forcing the tube inwardly in the manner known to the glass art. The tube I6 is circumferentially scored at l9 approximately mid-way between the plug locking collar l8 and the upper edge of the container I 0. Above the plug IT and located in said tube l6 may be a label (not shown). This combination may then'be placed in a machine and the tube lBis flame sealed to provide the hermetically sealed units shown in Figures 1 and 2. This hermetically sealed package may be sterilized,

with the only necessary precaution being that of keeping the package upright during sterilization and cooling.

These packages may be transported without danger of tube fracture due to the back and forreadily available at a moments notice and require no special instruments or technique to obtain the wax ready for use.

When the surgeon requires this bone wax in the course of an operation, the attendant or nurse first breaks the glass tube at the scoring l9, and the upper part of the glass tube is discarded. In this breaking operation, the plug I! serves to prevent any of the glass particles from reaching the container IE1. Then the plug I1 is removed and the remainder of the tube l6 having the loaded container Iii therein is inverted so that ,4, the tearing, a frangible hermetically sealed container for the tube, the length of the container being greater than the length of the tube, a shoulder on the inside of the container between the open end of the tube and the adjacent end of the container, and an elongated plug substantially filling the space between the shoulder and the open end of the tube, the container having a weakened portion between the end or the tube and the shoulder whereby the plug prevents contact between the open end of the tube and the container and closes the open end of the tube the loaded container slides out of tube l6. Then taking the loaded container ID in the left hand, the thumb and forefinger of the right hand grasp the upper end of container H) and the container 10 is spirally torn along scored path It to expose the wax as shown in Figure 4. The surgeon'now grasps the exposed end of the wax and can now work it with his fingers before application.

Thus there is provided for the surgean aseptic bone wax which is ready for use and which is sterile and no one but him has touched before application. Because of its ease of avilability and because no special preparation is required to obtain the same from the package, the wax may be maintained in the original package until ready for use and may be made available for use even by inexperienced nurses or. attendants.

Since certain changes may be made in the above-article and difierent embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is. intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

-I claim: 7

1. A package for aseptic materials and the like comprising in combination a tube, a frangible hermetically sealed container for the tube, the length of the sealed container being greater than the length of the tube, a shoulder on the inside of the container between the end of the tube and the end of the container, and an elongated plug substantially filling the space between the shoulder and the tube, the container having a weakened portion between the end of the tube and the shoulder to assure breaking the container between the ends of the plug.

2. A package for aseptic materials and the like comprising in combination a tube for aseptic material having an open end, a irangible hermetically sealed container for the tube, the length of the sealed container being greater than the length of the tube, a shoulder on the inside of the container between the open end of the tube and the adjacent end of, the container, and an elongated plug substantially filling the space between the shoulder and the open end of the tube, the container having a weakened portion between the end of the tube and the shoulder to assure closing of the open end of the tube by the plug against entry of particles of the container when the container is broken.

3. A package for aseptic materials and the like comprising in combination an open-ended thin- ,walled tube containing aseptic material and being scored helically for the major portion of its length to facilitate tearing, the open end of the tube extending beyond the aseptic material and having a notch at its edge to facilitate starting of against entry of particles of the container when the container is broken.

4. A package for aseptic materials and the like comprising: an open-ended, thin-walled tube containing aseptic material and being scored helically for the major portion of its length to facilitate tearing, the open end of said tube having an extension substantially beyond said aseptic material; a frangible hermetically sealed container for the tube, the;length of the container being greater than the length of the tube; and an elongated plug frictionally fitting within said container, contacting the open end of said tube, and closing the same; the container having a peripheral weakened portion located between the ends of said plug; whereby'the plug prevents contact between the open end of the tube and the container and whereby the plug and said extension part of the tube close the open end of the tube against entry of particles of the container when the container is broken.

5. A package for aseptic materials and the like comprising: an open-ended, thin-walled tube containing aseptic material and being scored helically for the major portion of its length to facilitate tearing, the open end of said tube having an extension substantially beyond said aseptic materialand having a notch at its edge to facilitate starting of the tearing; a frangible hermetically sealed container for the tube, the length of the container being greater than the length of the tube; and an elongated plugfrictionally fitting within said container, contacting the open end of said tube, andclosing the same; the container having a peripheral weakened portion located between the outer end of said plug and said aseptic material; whereby the plug prevents contact between the open end of the tube and the container and whereby the plug and said extension part of the tube close the open end of the tube against entryof particles of the container when the container is broken.

JOSEPH N. MASCI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fileof this patent:

183,805 Switzerland July 1, 1936 

